


Love Potion #9

by grlnxtdr29



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-27
Packaged: 2019-11-06 18:18:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 19,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17944736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grlnxtdr29/pseuds/grlnxtdr29
Summary: When genius teen Kurt Hummel accidentally spills a love potion on himself, he finds himself cornered in the locker room at McKinley by none other than Dave Karofsky. Kurt flees to Dalton Academy. The temptation to reinvent himself is too strong, and he creates a new persona before starting his new school. Will Blaine fall for the new Kurt, or will Chemistry win out?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews are like coffee, they can be eye openers.

He pushed his glasses back up on his nose as he observed the two mice in the cage. Clicking his pen, he began to take notes.

7:15 am, five minutes since xx/xx formula 8 was administered. No change in behavior in either subject. Both subjects continue to ignore each other.

He moved to the next cage on the counter.

Five minutes since xy/xx formula 8 administered. While subject xx seems non responsive, xy shows signs of increased interest.

He moved on to the finale cage on the counter.

Five minutes since xy/xy formula 8 administered. Both subjects have definite signs of increased libido, and have gone into a mating frenzy. Subject A, the dominant party, is showing symptoms of distress, but continues to attempt intercourse with subject B...

…

"They were just a pair of mice. I don't understand why you are so upset. They died screwing each others' brains out. That's how I want to go when I die."

Kurt rolled his eyes at the taller boy as they sat in the cafeteria. "You don't understand, Noah. They weren't just a pair of mice. Dolce and Gabbana were my ticket to Harvard! This experiment is my ticket out of this town!"

The Mohawked boy didn't seem overly impressed. "What exactly is this experiment about anyway? Other than trying to get mice to have sex, which you know me, I like sex as much as the next guy, but I don't understand what it has to do with anything."

"It's not just about s-sex, Noah!" He stuttered on the word, his pale features going red as the blush crept up his neck. "It's about attraction and triggered chemical response and..."

"Okay, no offense but I'm going to stop you right there before you start spouting all kinds of sciencey words I don't understand. Don't they already have a pill for that or something? You know, Viagra or whatever?"

The pale boy sighed in frustration and picked up his tray and books. "I don't know why I even bother to try and talk to you about this. You'll never understand."

"Whatever. See you later in Glee club, I guess," the darker boy called out, finishing his own lunch.

…

Later, Kurt sat in his French class, pouring over his copious notes, trying to figure out where he'd gone wrong while the rest of the class stumbled over basic conjugation they should have learned the very first semester. He barely acknowledged the instructor when she asked him a question, replying to her in flawless French. She then had to scramble to her laptop and try and figure out what he had said, as his fluency level surpassed hers.

He didn't really pay attention, going over the formula again and again. He knew the solution had to be something obvious, but for the life of him he couldn't find it. The bell rang, signaling the end of class. His head was still buried in his notes as he walked down the hall to his next class.

The sudden sensation of frozen liquid slamming into his face pulled him from his thoughts and he stopped in his tracks, temporarily blinded by the red slushie covering his face.

"Wake up, homo Urkel!" The behemoth jock laughed, tossing the empty cup at him as he walked passed.

He sighed in frustration as he removed his glasses and wiped the red liquid from his eyes. His notes were most likely ruined. Why couldn't people just leave him alone? Why did they have to try and make him miserable, just because he was gay and had an IQ that was off the charts? It wasn't like he had a choice in either of those two things, any more than he'd chosen to have auburn hair or multifaceted blue/green/grey eyes. It was genetic.

He swung by his locker, dropped off the useless notes, gathered a change of shirt, and headed to the bathroom to clean up. He stood in front of the mirror staring at himself. He was average height, slim but not toothpick thin, with a narrow face that some might call elfin. His skin was paler than usual. Over all he thought he wasn't too bad looking, even though his glasses did seem to make his eyes look too large for his face. There wasn't anything about his appearance that really shouted homosexual. Geek, maybe, but not gay.

So what was it about him that made people uncomfortable with his sexuality? It wasn't as if he walked around in a t shirt that proclaimed that he LIKES BOYS. Sure, maybe his voice was a little effeminate, and he did like to sing and dance in Glee club. But he didn't rub his attraction to boys in everyone's face.

With a sigh, he scrubbed his face and hair, changed his shirt, and then cleaned his glasses, drying them with a paper towel before sliding them back on his face. It was too late to go to his last class, so he headed to the choir room for Glee club.

He was early, so pulled a fresh notebook out of his messenger bag and started trying to recreate his notes. Fortunately he had an eidetic memory, and by the time the others began to trickle in he had managed to reproduce the pertinent information. He hadn't really been paying much attention to what Mr. Schuester was saying, something about their competition for sectionals. He'd heard people moving about, but still didn't look up from reproducing his formula.

"Yo, Hummel, if you aren't going to join in the assignment, then why don't you make yourself useful and go spy on the competition!"

Kurt glanced up then and realized that they had broken into two groups, boys and girls. He glanced between the two groups, not certain if he fit in either one. The boys always made him uncomfortable with their talk of sports and video games and girls, and the girls were intimidated by his intellect.

"Maybe I will go check out the other teams." It wasn't like either side would listen to his input anyway. No one even looked up as he left. Initially he thought he'd just go back to the lab and start over on his project, but realized he'd have to go to the pet shop and get two new lab rats before he could continue. The closest one that sold rodents was in Westerville. Didn't Mr. Schue say one of their competitors was there? Dalton Academy, or something like that?

Westerville was a bit of a drive, it probably wouldn't do any good to go that afternoon, but he could go first thing tomorrow. It would give him a chance to do a little research on the other school.

…

The next morning he set out, wearing a blue blazer, which was as close to the uniform he had seen online as he could get. He had researched the building, and knew where the music room was, but according to the Warbler's separate website, they practiced in one of the commons due to better acoustical quality. He also noted that they would be giving an "impromptu" performance today at ten.

He arrived shortly before the appointed time. He'd rehearsed what he would say if anyone were to question his presence. He would simply state that he was a prospective student, touring the school.

As he entered the building, he found himself fascinated by the architecture and décor. He was fairly certain that was an authentic Faberge Egg in the main entry way, and the Monet over the mantle in the sitting area outside the Dean's office was either one of the best reproductions he had ever seen, or was the real deal. Damn, no wonder tuition was so steep.

As he had studied up on the school the night before, he had practically salivated over the scholastic programs, especially the photographs of the science department. He knew his dad would never be able to afford to send him here, but he couldn't help dreaming about the things he could accomplish in a lab like that. With a wistful sigh, he made his way down the hall towards the area where the Warblers were supposed to perform.

In his experiences with Glee club at McKinley, no one really wanted to watch them perform, and expected the same to be true here. Most likely they chose to perform in the commons because they were less likely to have food or trash thrown at them there. If they were lucky, they might have three or four people show up out of pity to watch them.

He could hear music as he turned the corner, and stopped in his tracks. Not only was the commons packed to capacity, but boys were jammed in around the doorway, all vying for position to see inside where the music was coming from. Glee club was actually cool here?

From where he stood he could hear what sounded like a dozen or more voices harmonizing in a Capella fashion. What surprised him was the song selection. Unless he was much mistaken, that was Katy Perry's Teenage Dream. As if to confirm his thoughts, a single voice began to sing. And that voice! It seemed to be doing things to him he'd never knew existed. His heart began to race, and parts of his anatomy that he'd never really paid attention to before seemed to come awake.

He shivered as the voice sang the line;

I'm a get your heart racing,  
In my skin-tight jeans,  
Be your teenage dream tonight  
Let you put your hands on me

In my skin-tight jeans  
Be your teenage dream tonight

He backed away, afraid his legs would give out, or that he would do something incredibly embarrassing like whimpering in need and drawing attention to himself. He managed to slip into an empty classroom.

He slumped against the wall, trying to calm himself. He knew his system was flooded with endorphins and other chemicals that most people would call arousal. Just a chemical reaction. He had a passing thought that if he could bottle that voice, it would be the missing ingredient in the formula he had been working on. He wondered what the boy looked like? Not that it really mattered. The odds were the boy was probably not only straight, but had a girlfriend.

He wasn't certain how much time had passed, and had thought about slipping out the door and out of the school when he heard voices approaching.

"Blaine, wait up!" A voice called out.

"What's up, Wes?" Another voice, Blaine, answered.

"Do you have a few minutes to help me out with my science homework? I'm just a little confused on one question." Wes replied.

"Sure. Let's go into Delmonico's classroom, it should be empty this week, he's still at that symposium in Columbus."

Kurt panicked as he heard footsteps approaching, and dived under the teacher's desk. A moment later the door opened, and through the small gap in the panels, saw two pairs of legs enter and move to a desk in the front of the room. He ducked down more, hoping neither of them spotted him.

"Okay, what don't you understand?" The boy he assumed was Blaine asked. From his angle under the desk, he could just make out the back of the boy's head. His hair was over gelled, but the dark curls at the back were still fighting to break free.

"We are learning about insects and pheromones, and whether humans are affected by them or not. I couldn't find a definitive answer."

Kurt listened, scoffing silently to himself. There really was no solid proof that human's produced pheromones, and even if they did their olfactory senses were too weak to detect them. Blaine gave the other boy pretty much the same answer.

"However, I've been experimenting with the possibility that in high concentration, certain insect pheromones, especially those of certain types of moths, do have a subtle affect on mammals. I've only tested them on small rodents so far, and have had some success. As to whether they would affect humans or not, I'd have to do more research."

Kurt sat there, considering the other boy's words. What if pheromones were the key to his formula? He hadn't really considered olfactory stimulation because mammals tend to be less sensitive to scent than insects. He sat there lost in thought, and didn't realize when the two boys had left the room.

When he finally slipped out of his hiding spot and stretched his stiff muscles, it was past lunch time. He figured the boys would be back in class now, and silently left the building, making his way to his Navigator, still thinking about the possible effects of combining pheromones with his formula. He stopped by the pet shop and selected two new test subjects, and then headed back to Lima, already reworking his formula in his mind.

…

He'd gone straight to the basement where his lab was set up the night before, and began working on his formula. He didn't have access to pheromones at home, but he could borrow some from the lab at school. He'd brought the mice with him and set up the experiment there before school started.

He'd found the vial of pheromones in the store cupboard, and added several drops to his formula, and then rather than feed it to the rodents, he found an atomizer and filled it with the solution. He then spritzed some into each cage. Pushing his glasses up again, he prepared to take notes once more.

7am, five minutes since xx/xx formula 9 was administered vie atomizer. No change in subjects.

Five minutes since xy/xx formula 9 administered. Xx subject non responsive, though xy again shows an increase in attraction.

Five minutes since xy/xy formula 9 administered. Both subjects showing increased signs of attraction.

Conclusion; formula appears to work on xy subjects, but has no affect on xx. Possible hormone change to affect xx subjects? Will continue to monitor.

He began clearing his workstation to prepare for class, carrying the bottle with the extra formula 9 and the vial of pheromones towards the storage cupboard, when suddenly someone called out from directly behind him. He stumbled, spilling both liquids all over himself as he spun around.

"Noah! What do you think you were doing, sneaking up on me like that?"

The taller boy laughed. "You always are so absorbed in whatever you are working on, it's easy to sneak up on you."

Kurt straightened up, pushing his glasses back up on his nose as he glared at the other male. "Did you want something? Or were you just hoping for the chance to scare the crap out of me?"

"Actually, I was gonna ask if you could check my calculus homework for me before first period." The Mohawked boy looked slightly sheepish. Despite his badboy reputation, the boy was more intelligent than people gave him credit for, at least when it came to mathematics. The taller boy was somewhat self conscious and always doubting himself, and turned to Kurt for validation.

"Fine, let me see it." They spent the next five minutes going over the paper. "Perfect, as usual, Noah. You really don't need me to double check for you."

The other boy grinned at him. "Maybe I only ask you to because it's fun to scare the crap out of you now and then?"

Kurt just rolled his eyes and finished putting the formula and vial away, and cleaning up the counter. "I need to go shower now before class starts. I've got pheromones all over me."

"Phero whats?"

"Never mind, I'll explain later. See you at lunch time."

He gathered up his bag, stopped at his locker to get a new shirt, and headed to the locker room. He had expected the room to be empty at this time of morning, and was dismayed when he spotted the jock across the room. The larger boy hadn't heard him come in, and didn't seem to notice he was no longer alone. Kurt silently moved down the rows of lockers, hoping to avoid the other boy. He set his bag down in front of his gym locker and began to twirl the combination.

For the second time that morning, he was startled by a voice coming from directly behind him.

"What are you doing in here, homo?" Karofsky growled.

Kurt swallowed the fear building inside him as he spun around to face his greatest nemesis. "I-I just need to clea-"

"What is that smell?" The other boy asked, leaning in closer. Kurt's eyes went wide as the other boy all but pressed his nose to Kurt's throat and inhaled deeply. "You smell so good."

Kurt tried to move away from the larger boy, but the boy suddenly pressed closer. "Why do you have to smell good? It's bad enough you have to flaunt your perfect body all over the school, making me think things I don't want to think!"

What the hell? Karofsky was attracted to him? Karofsky was gay? Kurt was so stunned by this revelation, he didn't notice the dilated pupils of the other boy at first, or how he continued to inhale deeply. And then he remembered the pheromones and formula that had spilled all over himself.

"Uh, Karofsky, could I, uh, would you just let me go shower? I spilled some stuff on me. That's probably what you are smelling. If you'll just let me umph...!"

His words were cut off as the other boy kissed him. Shocked, he could do nothing more but stand there. From a purely scientific perspective, he could say that the boy was a decent kisser, but there was no real chemistry between them.

He suddenly shoved the other boy away, a look of horror on his face. This was nothing more than a chemical response to the mixture of pheromones and the formula he had created. The other boy would probably beat the crap out of him now for uncovering his secret.

As if realizing what he had just done, the large jock pulled away in shock, then slammed a fist into the locker beside Kurt before storming out of the locker room. Kurt was still in a state of shock as he gathered his things and went into the showers. It wasn't until he was finished rinsing the soap off that the full implications of what just happened hit him.

His formula worked on humans.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like breath mints, they can be quite refreshing.

It worked. His formula worked. Or did it? Could the incident with Karofsky earlier have been something else entirely? He'd been covered in the formula while going over Noah's math homework, and the other boy hadn't reacted. Or had he? He had seemed more...flirtatious than usual this morning. He needed to experiment further.

He dressed quickly and returned to the lab, knowing no one would be there for another hour and a half. He stopped to observe the mice in their cages, noting that while the female subjects still seemed completely unaffected, the three male subjects still showed increased affection. He studied the three males.

When he had purchased the new mice the afternoon before, he had made certain to observe them long enough to know that both male rodents showed homosexual tendencies, but had ignored each other. The third male had showed no interest in other males. What if he placed the third male in the cage with the other two males, while under the influence of the formula? Would the 'straight' mouse become attracted to males?

He carefully removed the large male, whom he had named Gunn (after Tim Gunn from Project Runway,) and placed him into the cage with the two new males. He then retrieved the atomizer from earlier and spritzed the cage again. While Gunn did begin to groom the other two males, he showed no sexual interest in either of the two smaller males.

Interesting. He hypothesized that the formula could possibly make straight males more affectionate towards the same sex, but would not affect their sexual orientation. Was that why Karofsky had responded more...enthusiastically than Noah had?

As a gay teen, he could see the possible use of this as a way for other boys like him to avoid being bullied, if it lowered aggression and increased at least platonic affection. Of course, the incident with Karofsky outlined one possible drawback. And what other ramifications could there be? He really needed to try more experiments.

The bell rang, indicating the start of school. He locked the mice away in the storage locker, knowing the other students wouldn't leave them alone, and took both the bottle of formula and the vial of pheromones, and put them in his locker.

He was making his way to his first class when a hand grabbed him and pulled him into an empty classroom. He was roughly shoved up against the wall, and Karofsky growled in his face.

"Did you tell anyone?" He demanded. Kurt shook his head no, fear coursing through him. "Good, cause if I find out you told anyone, I will kill you!"

And then he punched Kurt in the face. He slumped to the floor, stunned. He could feel a trickle of blood from the side of his nose, where the bridge of his glasses had cut into him. Said glasses had flown off unto the floor. He heard the crunch of the lenses shattering as Karofsky stomped on them on the way out.

He sat there for a long while, afraid to move. He flinched when the door eventually opened. Mr. Schuester was surprised when he saw him sitting there, blood still flowing from the gash on his nose.

"Kurt! Oh my god, what happened?" He glanced down when he heard the crunching of broken glasses. "Come on, let's get you to the nurse."

He helped the boy to his feet, and lead him to the office. Half an hour later, Kurt was sitting in Principal Figgins' office beside his dad. Burt Hummel was livid. "I warned you last year, Figgins, you've done a piss poor job protecting my son in this school! You knew he was being bullied, and you did nothing to stop it, and now my son is sitting here too traumatized to speak!"

"I am sorry, Mr. Hummel! As I told you last year, my hands are tied! If no one will come forward and report the bullying, I can do nothing about it!"

"My son did come forward! He told you about the bullying, about the constant verbal abuse..."

"Yes, but no one else will admit to witnessing it! It comes down to his word against theirs!"

"That's bull and you know it! I'm done talking to you! From now on you can talk to my lawyer!"

He stood up and urged Kurt to his feet. "Come on, Let's get your things from your locker. You won't be coming back to this hell hole."

Burt went to collect the mice from the lab, as Kurt collected his things. Rachel stopped by while he was emptying his locker. "Kurt, I heard you were injured. I hope the injury won't affect your ability to sing and dance for Sectionals next week. Your backup vocals compliment my talent perfectly, and I absolutely refuse to lose to a bunch of old people because you injured yourself."

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Did you even bother to find out how I was injured? Do you even care about anyone but yourself, Rachel?"

"Well really, Kurt, I'm not just worried about me. I'm worried about New Directions, too. You know Sue will disband us if we lose! You're being awfully selfish, Kurt!"

"I'm being selfish? I suppose it was very selfish of me to have someone punch me in the face! I suppose it was selfish of me when they stomped on my glasses! I suppose it was selfish of me when that someone threatened to kill me!" He shouted. The hallway suddenly got very silent as people stopped and stared. He slammed his empty locker shut and shoved past the short brunette. His exit was only slightly marred by the fact that he couldn't see very well and almost walked into the door frame.

…

Once he got home, he found his box of disposable contacts. Once he could see more clearly, he went down to his lab, but he couldn't focus on anything. His mind was racing. He didn't want to go back to McKinley, but where else would he go to school? He briefly thought about Dalton, but knew that even if he got a scholarship, his dad still couldn't afford to send him there.

He knew he could do home schooling online, could probably finish his last two years of high school in a matter of weeks that way, but he needed extra curriculars for his college applications. That was part of why he'd joined New Directions to begin with.

He could hear his dad shouting upstairs, on the phone with the school district about their BS bullying policy, threatening to sue them for every penny they had. Kurt was worried about his dad's heart. He'd already had one heart attack. Kurt felt ashamed that his dad was stressing out because of him.

The yelling died out after a little while, but Kurt just sat there staring at the three cages of mice. After a while, his dad came down the stairs to talk to him. "How you holding up, kiddo?"

"I'm okay, Dad. How about you? How is your heart?" He asked with concern.

"My heart is fine, don't you worry about that." He pulled up another stool and sat beside the auburn haired boy. "I talked to Matt Pritchet, that lawyer friend who owes me a favor. He thinks we have a good case, if we want to sue. But you have to tell us who hit you."

Kurt shuddered. "I-I can't, Dad. He said he'd kill me."

"I won't let that happen. And you should know there is an alternative. The school board is very interested in keeping this all hushed up. They are willing pay restitution. It's not much, but it would be enough to send you to that fancy boarding school you've been talking about, with some left over for you to do what ever you want with."

Kurt blinked. He could go to Dalton? He could have access to that state of the art science lab? He could find the boy who sang Teenage Dream.

He mentally slapped himself for that last thought. He didn't need any more complications in his life. Besides, the boy was more than likely straight.

He glanced down at the counter top, spotting the vial of pheromones and bottle of formula, and another thought occurred to him. He would be surrounded by boys his own age. He could use the opportunity to experiment more with the formula, see what the side effects were, and just how it works on both gay and straight students.

Kurt nodded. "Okay."

"Are you sure, buddy? You know we could probably get five times as much if we go to court."

"I'm not really interested in the money. Dalton has a state of the art science lab, and their Glee club is apparently very good. If I want to get into Harvard, I need to finish my research project, and having extra curricular activities will help with scholarships."

"Okay. Tomorrow morning we'll go down to the superintendent's office and get them to cut the check, and get you enrolled at Dalton."

"Thanks, Dad." Kurt smiled and hugged his father. As Burt was about to climb the stairs, Kurt had a thought. "Hey dad, you said there would be some money left over for me to do anything I want with?" His dad nodded. "Could you advance me a little of that today? I want to get a hair cut, and maybe buy a few new clothes. I'll be wearing a uniform at Dalton, but I could use a few things for after school and weekends."

"Sure, bud."

"Thanks, Dad." Kurt stood and went into the bathroom adjacent to his lab, looking at himself in the mirror. Without his glasses, he was actually somewhat attractive. He no longer looked like a bug eyed elf. If he got his hair styled different, and updated his wardrobe he might even look a little...sexy.

The thought made him blush. New school, new start, he thought to himself.

Goodbye gay Urkel, hello sexy Kurt Hummel.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like kittens, warm and fuzzy.

"So, Anderson, looks like you won't be Dalton's top science nerd for much longer," Jeff said, as he and Nick sat down beside the dapper Warbler at breakfast on Monday.

Blaine looked at the blonde boy in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Nick and I just came through the admin office, and they were welcoming a new student. I heard them call him by name. Kurt Hummel is now a Dalton boy."

Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Kurt Hummel? The boy who won the all state science fair four years in a row? Awesome! I based my pheromone research on his presentation about how if we could regulate certain chemical reactions within the body we could reduce instances of violence."

Jeff nodded. "His presentation on the effects of GMOs on the bee population inspired my research on how they have impacted other aspects of the environment."

Nick rolled his eyes as he smiled at the two other boys. "I have no clue what you two are talking about. Jeff is the brains in this relationship."

Jeff smiled at his boyfriend. "Don't sell your self short, babe. You are a sensitive poet. You have a way with words I'll never be able to master."

They smiled and shared a quick kiss. Blaine just laughed at the antics of his two best friends. Secretly he wished he had someone who would love him the way his two friends loved each other. He freely admitted that he was a little bit jealous of his friends.

"I wonder why Hummel transferred here?" He asked.

"He got a death threat at his old school." David said as he and Wes joined them.

"What?" Blaine said, shocked.

"Dean Michealson called us in Friday afternoon and told us a new boy was transferring after getting threats, and that he wanted to audition for the Warblers." Wes sounded a little more skeptical than David had. "Seems fishy to me to have someone transfer so close to Sectionals and want to try out."

"Poor kid," Blaine thought, remembering the incident at his old school that lead to his transfer to Dalton. He hoped the boy would feel welcomed here with it's zero tolerance bullying policy.

…

"Kurt, I'd like to introduce you to Trent," Dean Michealson said, indicating a dark haired boy with kind eyes and a sunny face. "He's a Junior, like you. He'll show you to your classes the first couple days, and help you acquaint yourself with the routine. He's also a member of the Warblers. I know you expressed an interest in joining them. I've talked to the council members, and they will contact you sometime today to set up an audition."

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it." Kurt shook the older man's hand as he and the other boy left the office.

"So, Kurt is it?" Trent said as they walked. "Where did you transfer from?"

Kurt shrugged. "William McKinley, in Lima."

"McKinley? Were you in New Directions?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I know they are competing against you guys at Sectionals this year. The lead singer, Rachel Berry was furious when she found out I was transferring here. Told me I better not sell them out to 'the enemy.'"

Trent snorted. "She sounds like a female version of Wes, our lead councilman. I'm sure when he talks to you about auditioning he'll make you swear a blood oath that you aren't here to mess with us before the competition."

Kurt laughed a little at that. "I promise, I'm not here to pull a Jesse St. James on you all."

The larger boy looked at him curiously. "Jesse St. James? From Vocal Adrenaline?"

He nodded. "Yeah, last year, just before Regionals, he transferred to McKinley and dated Rachel, but it was all a ploy to throw us off our game. He transferred back to Carmel High a few days before the competition. Oh, and he and the rest of VA egged her. And she's a vegan."

"Ouch. Well, This is your first class, AP English Lit. Ms. Thompson is very British, and, yes, she is related to Emma. Kind of looks like her a little too. Everyone loves her. I'll be back at the end of class to take you to French."

"Thanks, Trent."

The other boy smiled, and the hallway seemed brighter for it.

Kurt took a seat near the front of class. English Lit wasn't his favorite subject, but he did enjoy reading. His eidetic memory and speed reading abilities gave him an advantage in that department, but he often found writing essays about what he read tedious. It wasn't because he didn't understand what he read, just that there were other things he found more fascinating.

A dark haired boy sat beside him, and smiled kindly, his sky blue eyes friendly and welcoming. "Hi, I'm Nick. You must be the new kid, Kurt. I saw you in the admin building earlier."

Kurt smiled at him, trying not to let his nerves or shyness show. He wanted to present an air of confidence and self assurance. He knew Dalton had a zero tolerance bullying policy, but he thought that there was no point in making himself more of a target than necessary. He'd made himself over with a new hair style, new clothes, and contacts instead of glasses that made his eyes look like they were about to pop out of his head. "Nice to meet you."

"My boyfriend, Jeff is going to be jealous when I tell him I got to meet you before he did. He and our friend were fan-girling about you at breakfast."

"Fan-girling?" Kurt was confused. Why would anyone fan-girl over him? And did this kid just say he had a boyfriend?

"They are both science fanatics. You're GMO presentation actually beat Jeff's presentation on the effects of invasive flora and fauna on native Ohio wildlife three years ago at the all state science fair."

"Oh, are you talking about Jeffrey Sterling? I was really impressed by his presentation. I thought it was well researched. I've always wanted to ask him about the technique he used for tracking the population of the Pieris Rapae and other native insects. I look forward to meeting him."

Nick smiled as Ms. Thompson entered and began the class. Kurt could see why Trent had said everyone loved the middle aged woman. She had a rich voice that made you think of hot chocolate beside a cozy fire on a winter's evening as snow fell outside. They were reading the Canterbury Tales. Kurt had already read them before, with his mother, before she had passed away. She had loved Chaucer. And when Ms. Thompson asked for someone to read a particular passage, he raised his hand, quoting from memory.

"Very good, Mr. Hummel." She smiled kindly at him. "Now someone else read the next passage, please."

Nick glanced over at him with a smile as he raised his hand. The dark haired boy also quoted without the aid of the book. At the end of class, the two boys chatted about Chaucer and literature as they gathered their books.

"It was nice to meet you, Kurt. I hope you enjoy it here at Dalton. Hey Trent, see you at lunch!" Nick said, with a wave to his fellow Warbler.

"Later, Nick. So, how was your first class at Dalton?" The boy asked Kurt.

"Interesting. The Teacher was much more passionate about the subject than my teacher back at McKinley. At least Ms. Thompson doesn't sound like a chain smoker who guzzles a gallon of whiskey every morning. We'd never have covered Chaucer, or anything else even remotely related to classical literature. They are probably reading Twilight this week."

Trent laughed softly. "Your old school sounds...interesting. You're in Mme. Guillaume's French 5 class next. She's from Bordeaux. She looks a little like Bellatrix Lestrange. She's strict, so I suggest you make sure she likes you."

Kurt laughed. "French is my favorite subject after science. I think I can manage."

And he did. Mme. Guillaume was very impressed with his perfect pronunciation and accent. He complimented her on her dedication to teaching, and explained to her, in flawless French, that the French teacher at his previous school was not a native speaker, and had barely any concept of the language at all.

He had two more classes before lunch; AP Calculus and AP History. History was probably his worst subject. He relied on his eidetic memory to get him through, as he found it boring to learn all those dates and who massacred whom and why. Charlemagne? Really? Why did they have to learn every little detail about someone who had died hundreds of years ago?

At lunch, Trent invited him to sit with some of his fellow Warblers. Kurt was happy to see Nick there, and to be introduced to the blonde boy beside him. "Hey, Kurt, this is Jeff, my boyfriend. I know you two will become fast friends."

Jeff laughed and shook his hand. The two immediately hit it off, talking about science. They were so engrossed in their discussion, they didn't hear Wes and David arrive at the table and ask Nick where Blaine was.

"He had a quick sandwich and headed back to the lab, said he wanted to test out a theory or something. Have you met Kurt yet?"

The pale boy looked up at the mention of his name. David smiled at him, but Wes was appraising. "I heard you were in the show choir at McKinley. I better not learn that you transferred here just to spy on the Warblers before Sectionals."

Kurt smiled, though he felt intimidated by this Asian boy. "I promise, I am not here to spy. That happened to New Directions last year. I wouldn't stoop to that. I transferred here because I no longer felt safe at my old school, and Dalton not only has a top notch show choir, but a state of the art science lab."

Wes still looked doubtful. "Well, we have rehearsals this afternoon at 4:30 sharp. You can audition then. Just so you know, we vote on new members. In case of a tie, The council is the final word. You better come to impress."

Kurt nodded, and thought Trent's earlier observation of the council leader's personality was accurate. He definitely reminded Kurt of a male version of Rachel Berry. He'd already chosen his audition song, and thought it was befitting, all things considered. He really wanted to join the Warblers, and maybe meet the boy whose voice had made him feel things he had never thought possible before.

Was it one of the boys he had already met? There was no way to tell until he heard them sing. He only hoped it wasn't Nick or Jeff. They were both good looking, but he didn't feel comfortable thinking he might have been lusting after someone else's boyfriend. Of course, the mystery boy may be someone's boyfriend already. He probably had a girlfriend.

He mentally shook the thoughts from his head, finished his lunch, and then went to the science lab. He hadn't needed Trent to show him the way. He'd actually been there Friday afternoon when he and his Dad had come to register him. He'd already dropped off his cages of mice, and been introduced to the instructor, Dr. Mellard.

Now he entered, a smile on his face, happy to be there. He moved to the work station he'd been assigned, and checked on his mice, slipped on his lab coat, and began working on his notes. He had made a list of experiments he wanted to try, but he needed to perfect the formula/pheromone ratio for humans first. He could only estimate how much of each he had spilled on himself that day when Noah had startled him. He'd been working on the adjustments all weekend long at home, and thought he was close to the proper ratio, but had run out of his supply of the pheromones.

He went to the storage room to find what he needed, and nearly ran into a boy with overly gelled hair who was coming out. The shorter boy apologized absently as he straightened up.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying atten...Kurt Hummel! Oh my god, You're Kurt Hummel!"

Kurt smiled and nodded. "That would be me. And you are Blaine Anderson. I recognize you from last year's all state science fair. I was really impressed with your presentation on the mating habits of the Actias Luna. It's nice to meet you."

Blaine grinned. "I'm sorry for going fan-girl on you. I heard you had transferred here and I've been looking forward to meeting you all day."

Kurt blushed a little. This must also be the Blaine he had overheard talking to the boy in the empty classroom last week when he came to spy. "So, you are working on something to do with pheromones, too?"

"Huh?" Blaine said, and then glanced down to the vial he was holding, and seeing the label. Now it was his turn to blush. "Oh, yes. I'm trying to prove once and for all if humans are affected by pheromones. I've had some response in small mammals, and soon hope to test on larger animals."

"Interesting. My current project involves pheromones as well, as a behavior modifier. You know most people only associate pheromones with mating, but they are so much more complex."

"Oh, definitely. Perhaps we could compare notes on our research some day. I'd like to see your work."

They smiled awkwardly at each other, Kurt watched the smaller boy go, before heading in to the store room. He found what he needed, and headed back to his station. By the end of the double class period, he was certain he was ready to test his mixture, but he hesitated. He could try it out in the hallways, but he really wouldn't have the chance to analyze the effects as the boys moved rapidly between classes. And he didn't want to try it out during his last class of the day because it could cause a distraction for the other boys.

As he considered how he was going to test the formula, an image formed in his mind of a scowling Asian boy. Should he try it out during his audition? Would it be considered undue influence? He knew he had the talent to be in the Warblers, but the way Wes had looked at him convinced him that the older boy didn't want him in the group. Would the boy give him a fair shot?

Kurt felt his resolve firming. He would test the formula out that afternoon at the audition.

…

He stood outside the door, waiting nervously to be called in. He was still debating with himself whether to go through with using the formula. Finally he yanked the vial out of his pocket, and before he could talk himself out of it, he dabbed two drops on to his wrists. He'd just slipped the bottle back into his pocket when the door opened.

He was surprised when Blaine stood there, smiling at him. Blaine was a Warbler? "Are you ready for this?" The shorter boy asked.

Kurt smiled and nodded, stepping in to the room. He moved to stand in front of the table where three boys sat. David sat to his left, and a boy he hadn't met yet sat to his right. Both of them smiled reassuringly at him. Wes sat directly in front of him, a slight frown on his face. Kurt handed his CD to Trent and faced the council again. "Hello, my name is Kurt Hummel, and I'll be singing a classic by The Searchers."

The music started, and Kurt smirked as he started to sing.

I took my troubles down to Madame Rue  
You know that gypsy with the gold-capped tooth  
She's got a pad down on Thirty-Fourth and Vine  
Sellin' little bottles of Love Potion No. 9

 

Kurt grinned and danced around the room. He knew the moment the formula kicked in. The boys had all been watching him with smiles on their faces, but soon the smiles turned to wide grins, and several of the boys stood up and started dancing with him.

 

I told her that I was a flop with chicks  
I've been this way since 1956  
She looked at my palm, and she made a magic sign  
She said, what you need is Love Potion No. 9

 

Kurt smiled at Blaine, who had begun harmonizing with him, and danced beside him. He turned to face Wes, and dropped down into a squat and winked at him as he sang the next line. He could see the boy was fighting to remain impassive.

 

She bent down and turned around and gave me a wink  
She said, I'm gonna make it up right here in the sink  
It smelled like turpentine, it looked like Indian ink  
I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink

 

Kurt playfully blew kisses at several boys, and winked at Blaine as he continued dancing around the room, teasing Nick and Jeff, making them both laugh.

 

I didn't know if it was day or night  
I started kissin' everything in sight  
But when I kissed that cop down at Thirty-Fourth and Vine  
He broke my little bottle of Love Potion No. 9

 

He stood directly in front of Wes now, and leaned forward, brushed imaginary lint off the older boy's shirt, before dancing off again.

 

I held my nose, I closed my eyes, I took a drink

I didn't know if it was day or night  
I started kissin' everything in sight  
But when I kissed that cop down at Thirty-Fourth and Vine

He broke my little bottle of Love Potion No. 9

 

Several boys were crowded around him as he sang the last couple of lines. They were laughing and spinning him from one dance partner to the next, until he accidentally stumbled against Blaine, who caught him in a dip. They stared into each others' eyes as Kurt held the last note of the song.

 

Love Potion No. 9  
Love Potion No. 9  
Love Potion No. 9

 

The two remained where they were for a moment after the song drifted away, and the room was silent. And then Wes began to clap, and the others joined in enthusiastically. Blushing, Blaine righted the pale boy, who was also flushed. Their hearts were racing as they glanced at each other shyly.

And then reality came crashing down on Kurt. Blaine was only reacting to the formula. None of it was real.

What had he done?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like Sundaes, ooey and gooey and Yummy!

Blaine sat at his work station in the lab that night after dinner, observing the large hares in the wire cage. Bugs and Babs had completely ignored each other for the greater part of the week. He'd been testing different concentrations of pheromones on them, with no results. Today before lunch, he decided to try a different type of pheromone, this one was one that certain types of ants used to make the colony cooperate on specific tasks.

He'd been steadily increasing the concentration through out the day, and had returned after dinner. He was supposed to be observing and taking notes, but his mind kept wandering back to Warbler's rehearsals.

After Kurt's successful audition, the pale boy had seemed almost embarrassed, and had avoided making eye contact with anyone. Was he just shy? He hadn't seemed to be when he was singing and dancing. And all the boys seemed impressed by him. He had overheard Nick and Jeff contemplating if the boy played for their team, and wondered if he'd be interested in a threesome. Blaine had known his two friends were a little on the kinky side, but really wished he hadn't known just how kinky. (And why had they never invited him for a threesome?)

When Warbler's practice (which had mostly consisted of finalizing what songs they'd be doing for Sectionals this week,) had finished, Kurt had rushed out of the room as if he had been shot out of a cannon. Blaine had seen him dashing up the stairs that lead to the dorms, and he hadn't come down to dinner at all. Blaine couldn't help but wonder if it had been that dip he'd held Kurt in at the end of the song that had upset the boy. Had he held him too long? Maybe he was straight and was offended that a gay boy had been touching him.

He was about to give up for the night and head back to his dorm to finish some homework when he heard the door open, and someone muttering furiously under their breath. Who ever it was didn't seem to notice him at his corner station. He peeked through the partition and spotted an auburn head of hair pacing back and forth. He could only hear bits and pieces of what the other boy was saying.

"So stupid, how could I have even... And now he thinks... Why did I even do it? Just because one boy didn't seem to like me... I should never have..."

"Kurt?" Blaine called out softly. The other boy spun towards him, his face crimson, thick glasses making those multifaceted sea storm eyes really stand out. His hair was laying flat, and looked damp, as if he'd just washed it. He was so startled he took a step back and almost tripped over a stool.

"Easy! Are you alright? You really seem upset about something." Blaine smiled kindly at him, moving forward to make sure the taller boy was alright.

Kurt held up a hand as if to stop his progression, and Blaine halted in his tracks. Well, that answered one question, Blaine thought. The pale boy didn't want a gay boy touching him. He was probably straight, and probably had a girlfriend.

…

"I'm fine, thank you. Just regretting a lack of judgment earlier," Kurt said, not wanting the other boy to come closer in case the shower he had taken hadn't removed all trace of the formula from his skin. He'd scrubbed for nearly thirty minutes, all the time berating himself for the unethical way he had behaved.

Blaine just nodded and stopped moving forward, an unreadable expression on his face. "Speaking of earlier, I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I didn't mean for things to be so awkward, I was just trying to keep you from falling and hurting yourself."

Kurt's face turned even more red, and he had to turn away from the shorter boy. "It's fine, really. I was the clumsy one. Don't worry about it."

There was an awkward silence, and Kurt realized he was being silly. There was no way there was any trace of formula still clinging to him. He took a deep breath to calm himself down, and then turned back to the other boy, smiling. "So, um, what are you doing here at this time of night?"

Blaine looked a little relieved, though Kurt wasn't sure why. "I was checking to see if there were any changes in behavior from Bugs and Babs. The two hares I'm using to test different pheromones on," he explained, seeing the confused look on the pale boy's face. "Just before lunch today I had a thought to test a different type of pheromones. I'm trying out the cooperation pheromone now, slowly increasing the concentration level to see if the two would work together to achieve a common goal, in this case, opening an out of reach latch to release some treats."

Kurt was fascinated. Perhaps he should try using different pheromones along with his formula to see if they would work as well. And suddenly he felt guilty again. He sighed. "Hey, Blaine? There's something I need to tell you, and I won't be offended if you hate me for it."

…

Blaine looked at the taller boy, confused. "Why would I hate you?"

The pale boy sighed. "I-I did come to Dalton to spy, originally. I never really fit in with New Directions. The boys were all afraid to hang out with me because I'm gay, and the girls were intimidated by me. So when they told me to make myself useful and go spy on the competition, I did. Last week I came out here, pretending to be a prospective student, and I heard the Warblers perform Teenage Dream, but I never told New Directions that I came out here. There's more, though. I over heard you and Wes talking about pheromones, and I realized that could be the missing ingredient in the formula I've been working on. And it worked."

Blaine had to sit down. He hadn't really paid attention after Kurt had admitted to being gay, but then the full extent of what the other boy had said had hit him.

"So, you stole my research?" He asked calmly.

"Not exactly," the other boy said, looking chagrined. "I wasn't sure if it would work. Human's olfactory senses are so poor, I never thought of that factoring in to my research. But I thought I would try it out on mice, and it worked to a degree. It had no affect on the female subjects, but it did work on the males."

Kurt indicated the three cages on his workstation. "I was going to run more tests with the mice, but as I was putting things away, my friend Noah, the only boy in Glee club who wasn't afraid to hang out with me, startled me, and I spilled the formula and some pheromones on me. At first I didn't even notice that Noah was being even more friendly than usual as we went over his math homework. After he left, I remembered I was still covered in chemicals, so I went to the locker room to shower. Unfortunately there was someone else in the locker room."

The pale boy shuddered and had a far away look on his face. Blaine couldn't help staring at the beautiful boy as he continued talking in a monotone. "Karofsky had always been my worst tormentor at school, constantly throwing slushies in my face and shoving me into lockers and calling me derogatory names. He didn't notice me when I first entered the locker room, and I tried not to let him see me. But apparently he could smell the formula and the pheromones on me. He pinned me against my locker and k-kissed me." The boy stuttered on the words.

Blaine was confused. "The mixture made a straight boy who tormented you constantly suddenly become gay?"

Kurt shook his head no. "Apparently Karofsky is in the closet. The formula doesn't change your orientation. At first I didn't even think about what him ki-kissing me meant. I was too shocked to even think. He was angry when he realized what he had done, and punched the locker beside my head. I took my shower, and that was when I realized he had to be reacting to the formula and pheromones. I went back to the lab and tested it again, this time putting the male mouse from my xy/xx control in with the xy/xy control, and reintroduced the modified formula. While the xy/xy pair showed an increase in libido towards each other, the third mouse only showed an increased interest in affectionate behavior, but no sexual interest in either of the other two mice."

Blaine was intrigued in spite of himself. "Fascinating. So what did you do next?"

"I didn't get the chance to do anything else. I had to get to my next class. But I never made it. Karofsky grabbed me and dragged me into an empty classroom. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone what happened, and then punched me and broke my other pair of glasses. My father was enraged that the school had failed to protect me, and threatened to sue. They wanted to hush things up, and offered to pay restitution. It was enough to pay for my transfer here, so I agreed. But there was another reason I wanted to come here, and this is the part you are going to hate me for..."

Blaine just sat quietly, waiting for the other boy to continue. Kurt took a deep breath, and looked him in the eye. "I wanted to see how the formula would work in a school environment, to test it's potential as a way to stop bullying in schools. But when Wes seemed to not want me to join the Warblers, I decided to test the formula during my audition."

Blaine was confused at first, and sat there, thinking back to the audition. Wes had been a bit rude and condescending towards the pale boy, not trusting him. And then during the audition, all of them had seemed to be drawn to the boy. "You cheated," he stated calmly.

…

Kurt hung his head in shame. "I know, and I fully intend to withdraw from the Warblers tomorrow. And I am sorry the formula unduly influenced you, too. I know you didn't really feel attracted to me."

The shorter boy blinked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Kurt blushed. "You were just reacting to the pheromones like all the others. You were all compelled by inhaling the smell of the pheromones on my skin. I showered them off as soon as practice was over, so you don't have to worry about it now."

Blaine just stared at him in silence for a few minutes. Kurt couldn't read the expression on the other boy's face. Kurt was surprised when the other boy finally spoke. "We should combine our experiments."

"What?" Kurt asked, unsure he had heard correctly.

Blaine just smiled at him. "Well, you've basically already proven my hypothesis, so there is no need for me to continue. And since you used my theory to create your formula, it is only fair that I get partial credit for it. So let's work together."

Kurt couldn't believe this. Not only was Blaine not angry at him, but was offering to work with him. He smiled shyly back. "Okay."

"Good. And you are not dropping out of the Warblers. You were really good. No arguing," He said before Kurt could interrupt. "Yes, you may have used a little undue influence, but you had the talent to back it up. So that's final. We just won't mention this to Wes. Now, show me your notes."

Kurt smiled, and the two boys began to compare notes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like Hershey's Kisses, Sweet and and to the point.

Tuesday's Warbler practice was canceled because David had gotten a detention for gluing Wes' gavel to the wall in the dining hall after the lead councilman had apparently slept walked with it and banged on the darker skinned boy's door.

As they made their way to practice on Wednesday, Kurt was still trying to figure out which of the Warblers was the one he had heard singing Teenage Dream. He had narrowed it down to Blaine, David, Wes, Nick or Thad. He secretly hoped it was Blaine. He still couldn't believe the other boy hadn't been angry when he'd told him about using the formula at his audition.

The two had actually worked really well together today. Blaine had a theory on why the formula only seemed to work on males, and they were going to test it out after dinner tonight. They were still discussing it when Wes called the meeting to order, looking forlorn without his gavel, and sending a glare towards his friend.

"Okay, today we're going to work on tightening up the movements for Hey Soul Sister. Everyone take your position. Kurt, you can observe for the first fifteen minutes, then join in."

The pale boy nodded and remained seated as the others took their place. Wes used a pitch pipe to get them all on the same note, and they began to harmonize. And then Blaine began to sing, and Kurt knew he'd found the boy whose voice had awakened his senses.

He was so enraptured by the voice he forgot to pay attention to the dance steps, such as they were. He tried to make himself study the movements the second time through, but his eyes continued to slide back to the dark haired warbler singing lead. After the third time through, he thought he had a rudimentary idea of the basic movements, and joined in on the fourth go through, adding his voice to the background harmonies.

The movements were easy, nothing like he was used to with New Directions. He'd had the passing thought that they didn't have to worry about him sabotaging their chances, because with these moves, the only way they could beat New Directions was if Rachel Berry suddenly came down with strep throat and pulled a hamstring. He thought about pointing this out, but felt that his position in the Warblers was tenuous at best. He didn't want to rock the boat.

…

The next few days were torture for him. On the one hand, he enjoyed working on their now combined project. The old adage that two heads were better than one certainly proved true, and the two quickly devised several ways to test the formula, and also decided to test them out with different types of pheromones. Things were great when they were so busy brainstorming.

But when they weren't working and he had time to think about other things, he found his mind occupied with him. His intelligent eyes, his perfect hair, his awesome ass. He could sit and listen to him just talk for hours. He was crushing, bad. But he couldn't do anything about it, all because of that stupid formula.

If he confessed how he felt, the other boy would just say it was the formula making him feel this way. He knew it wasn't, but how could he convince the boy that what he was feeling was real?

…

The day of Sectionals finally arrived, and Kurt felt more nervous than he had expected. He wasn't worried about messing up the dance moves or forgetting his harmonies. His eidetic memory assured that he at least wouldn't screw things up for the Warblers. He was nervous to face his old Glee club.

While he had never fully felt like he fit in with New Directions, he knew that their talent was definitely a match for the Warblers, if not better. Vocally, The Warblers had the advantage, but their so called choreography left much to be desired. New Directions may not be the best dancers, but they could out maneuver the Warblers any day.

When he spotted Rachel Berry sulking in the lobby before the competition, he felt a little guilty for hoping that her displeasure boded well for his new club. With a sigh, he set his petty thoughts aside and approached the short brunette as she berated the young man behind the snack counter about not having any raisenettes.

"Carb loading?" He inquired.

His former team mate turned and glared at him. "Puck got Lauren Zizes to fill your spot, but she won't go on without her damn candy." There was an awkward pause, and then the girl sighed dramatically. "Look, Kurt, I'm sorry about what I said to you last week. I should have realized how bad things were for you at McKinley. You were right, I was being selfish. Which is why I won't be having a solo today. Mr. Schue heard what happened between us, and decided I needed a lesson in humility, and that I need to grow up and act more mature. And he was right. So, again, I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted. I'm sorry you didn't get a solo, too."

"Thanks. So, I hope those Warblers are treating you right, and appreciate your talent. I mean, everyone knows you and I were the most talented singers in New Directions."

Kurt just smiled. "Thanks, Rach. I should get going, Blaine and the others will wonder where I wandered off to."

"Blaine?" She said, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "He's just a friend. He's helping me with my research project."

"Uh huh, just friends. But you like him, don't you?"

"Goodbye, Rachel. I have to go. Break a leg!"

He could hear her giggling as he walked away. He spotted Wes standing near the hallway that lead backstage. The older boy was frowning at him. "I hope you weren't giving away our secrets, Hummel."

Kurt huffed. "No, I was just giving Rachel Berry the secret recipe for Dalton's award winning brownies. She was apologizing to me for acting like a diva. Besides, it's a bit late to give out our set list, as they'd have no time to rehearse, and we go on before them. Of course it wouldn't be the first time New Directions competed on the fly. We had our set list stolen last year at Sectionals."

Wes looked concerned by this. "Didn't you guys win your sectionals last year?"

"Yes, we did."

"And you did it without rehearsals?" The boy actually looked impressed in spite of himself. Kurt just nodded. "Well damn, they're that good? Do we even stand a chance against them?"

Kurt considered whether to answer or not. Would it be betraying New Directions to tell Wes what he had just learned? "Let's just say our odds have just gone up a little. Don't ask questions. I'll explain later."

…

In the end, they tied with New Directions. It was the best possible outcome in Kurt's opinion. But he also knew they would have to step up their game if they wanted to win at Regionals. He brought the subject up at the next Warbler's meeting.

"If we are going to beat New Directions at Regionals, we have to incorporate more complex dance moves. Mike Chang and Brittany Pierce both have killer moves, and the others are no slouches either, with the possible exception of Finn Hudson."

Wes considered him for a moment before replying. "The Warblers have always been more about the vocal harmonies, with minimum choreography to detract from the purity of the a Capella sound. To attempt to add in more taxing movement would detract from breath control and purity of sound."

Kurt sighed. He knew he was right, but how could he convince the others? He was the new kid, and he had only made it in to the group to begin with because he had unduly influenced them.

He was still thinking about it as he entered the lab that evening after dinner. Blaine noticed that the taller boy seemed preoccupied.

"Hey, what's up? You've seemed a little bummed since Warblers' practice."

Kurt sighed. "You know I'm right about our chances against New Directions at Regionals, don't you?"

Blaine nodded. "I've been telling Wes the same thing since I transferred here last year. He's more concerned with maintaining the Warblers reputation as a purist a Capella group. I had to basically force him to agree to try some more modern songs that most people would never consider doing a Capella."

"It's so frustrating." Kurt paced the lab. "I know we have the talent to win at Regionals, if we put in the effort, but he won't even let us try." He slammed his hand down on the counter next to the cages holding the mice.

"Well," Blaine began, a considering look on his face. "We have ten weeks until Regionals. We'll just have to prove to Wes and the others that it can be done."

Kurt looked at him questioningly. "How?"

The darker boy smiled. "I think it's time for another test of the formula, with the cooperation pheromones. If we can get enough Warblers to show off their dance moves while singing, Wes will have to see that it is possible."

Kurt smiled at him. "You're a genius!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like vitamins, they make me better!

Over the next week, they worked on perfecting the ratio for the new pheromone, and when they thought it was correct, Blaine volunteered to test it. At lunch on Monday, The two boys sat in the cafeteria with several of the other Warblers, speaking in hushed whispers.

"So, if it works, the other boys should 'cooperate' with you, mimicking your dance moves while singing."

Blaine nodded. "I call it the 'follow the leader' reaction. Are you sure you want to stay? You'll probably be affected by the pheromones as well."

Kurt shrugged. "We're here to prove a point. Are you ready?"

The shorter boy pulled the bottle of formula from his pocket and dabbed some on his wrists and throat, wanting a strong response from the other boys. After a minute, he stood up and began to sing, while Kurt hummed along, smiling. It didn't take long for the others to notice them, and the Warblers, who never passed up an opportunity to sing, began to harmonize along. But would they dance?

 

There's a stranger in my bed,  
There's a pounding in my head  
Glitter all over the room  
Pink flamingos in the pool  
I smell like a minibar  
DJ's passed out in the yard  
Barbie's on the barbeque  
This a hickie or a bruise

 

Blaine began dancing around the room, being flirty and trying to get the others to join him.

 

Pictures of last night  
Ended up online  
I'm screwed  
Oh well  
It's a blacked out blur  
But I'm pretty sure it ruled  
Damn

 

Nick and Jeff laughed, and jumped up to dance along, followed by Thad and Trent. Wes didn't seem overly impressed by this impromptu performance.

 

Last Friday night  
Yeah, we danced on tabletops  
And we took too many shots  
Think we kissed but I forgot

 

Jon, AKA Beatz, busted out into some rather impressive moves, all while still keeping perfect rhythm.

 

Last Friday night  
Yeah, we maxed our credit cards  
And got kicked out of the bar  
So we hit the boulevard

Last Friday night  
We went streaking in the park  
Skinny dipping in the dark  
Then had a ménage à trois  
Last Friday night  
Yeah I think we broke the law  
Always say we're gonna stop  
Op-oh-oh

 

By now, nearly all the Warblers had begun dancing, as had several boys who weren't in the Warblers.

 

This Friday night  
Do it all again  
This Friday night  
Do it all again

Trying to connect the dots  
Don't know what to tell my boss  
Think the city towed my car  
Chandelier is on the floor  
Ripped my favorite party dress  
Warrant's out for my arrest  
Think I need a ginger ale  
That was such an epic fail

Pictures of last night  
Ended up online  
I'm screwed  
Oh well  
It's a blacked out blur  
But I'm pretty sure it ruled  
Damn

Last Friday night  
Yeah, we danced on table tops  
And we took too many shots  
Think we kissed but I forgot

Last Friday night  
Yeah, we maxed our credit cards  
And got kicked out of the bar  
So we hit the boulevard

Last Friday night  
We went streaking in the park  
Skinny dipping in the dark  
Then had a ménage à trois

Last Friday night  
Yeah I think we broke the law  
Always say we're gonna stop  
Oh whoa oh

This Friday night  
Do it all again  
(Do it all again)  
This Friday night  
Do it all again  
(Do it all again)  
This Friday night

T.G.I.F.  
T.G.I.F.  
T.G.I.F.  
T.G.I.F.  
T.G.I.F.  
T.G.I.F.

Last Friday night  
Yeah, we danced on table tops  
And we took too many shots  
Think we kissed but I forgot

 

Wes was the only hold out now, but Kurt could see him fighting the urge to get up and join them. Finally, the council leader caved, and began to dance. Well, tried to dance. The boy looked like he was having a seizure. Kurt tried to stifle his laugh.

 

Last Friday night  
Yeah, we maxed our credit cards  
And got kicked out of the bar  
So we hit the boulevard

Last Friday night  
We went streaking in the park  
Skinny dipping in the dark  
Then had a ménage à trois

Last Friday night  
Yeah I think we broke the law  
Always say we're gonna stop  
Oh-whoa-oh  
This Friday night  
Do it all again

 

The song ended, and nary a note was missed. Some of the boys were a little winded, but none of them had breath control issues while singing. Blaine smiled at Wes as the taller boy approached.

"As much as I enjoy impromptu performances, I must ask what prompted this?" The Asian asked.

"I wanted to prove a point." Blaine responded. The other boy just quirked an eyebrow. "I wanted to prove that we can dance and still keep the pure a Capella sound. Kurt is right, the only way we will beat New Directions is if we change things up."

Wes frowned at the new boy. "So, this was your idea? You could have said something at Warblers' practice, you didn't have to work up some scheme to prove a point."

Kurt looked like someone had slapped him. "I did bring it up in Warblers' practice, last week. You shot me down without even really giving me the chance to prove it." The pale boy then collected his things and walked out without glancing back.

"What is your problem, Wes?" David asked. "You're being a prick."

Blaine agreed. "You've never been this rude before."

Wes looked frustrated. "Okay, fine. The boy rubs me the wrong way, happy now? He comes in here one week before a major competition, under suspicious circumstances, and everyone falls in love with him! No one questions his motives! I'm just looking out for the Warblers!"

Blaine frowned. "And yet you never bothered to ask him anything. Dean Michealson told you he'd gotten a death threat at his old school. Did he also tell you that Kurt had basically been sexually assaulted by a closeted jock who then beat him up before threatening to kill him if he told?"

There were gasps from the other boys, and Blaine realized what he just said. He hadn't meant to blab Kurt's secret like that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like oxygen, I need it to survive!

Kurt sat by himself the next morning at breakfast instead of joining the Warbler's usual table. He wasn't sure he wanted to be a part of that group anymore. He just wanted to fit in somewhere.

At McKinley, he hadn't fit in with any of the usual cliques. Yeah, he was a nerd, but his IQ had surpassed anyone else at the public school, with the possible exception of Artie. The other nerds called him conceited and aloof, though he had never given them a reason to think that. He loved to sing and dance, and thought he'd be accepted in Glee club, but again his differences set him apart and they never really made him feel welcome.

"Hi. Can I sit here?" Blaine asked, tentatively. Kurt barely looked up, and only shrugged in reply. Blaine sat beside him, setting his plate of scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa down next to his glass of orange juice. They were silent for several minutes as they ate. "I never told you why I transferred to Dalton."

Kurt glanced at him then. "Why?"

"I was beaten up at my old school for being gay." He said it casually, as if discussing the weather. "They beat me pretty bad, I had a broken rib, a broken wrist, and a broken nose."

"Blaine! I'm so sorry!"

The darker boy just shrugged it off. "I was lucky. There was another gay kid at my school. They beat him up too, but he got it worse. He's paralyzed from the waist down now."

"That's horrible! What happened to the guys who did it?"

"There were three of them. Two of them are in juvie, and they'll get out when they are eighteen, records sealed, of course. The third one was tried as an adult because he was only three months out from his eighteenth birthday. He got ten years for assault and battery with intent to cause great bodily harm."

There was another moment of silence. "Wes is sorry for how he treated you. He wants to talk to you about working up some choreography for Regionals."

Kurt brightened. "Really?"

"Yes. After what happened at lunch yesterday, Wes actually googled you, and found some rather interesting youtube videos."

Kurt suddenly blushed red. "Oh Gaga, please say he didn't..."

"Push it? Really? And Toxic?"

"Oh god, just kill me now!" Kurt hid his face in his hands. Blaine laughed.

"I couldn't decide which was my favorite, Single Ladies or 4minutes."

"Is there any chance you didn't see Bad Romance?" Blaine laughed harder.

"How did you walk in those shoes?"

The pale boy moaned. "Very carefully."

Blaine laughed and patted him on the back. "Seriously, though, you are an amazing dancer, and your voice is awesome! The Warblers really need you, Kurt. Please say you'll stay and help us?"

"Really?"

"Yes! You're the best thing to happen to the Warblers in years!"

Kurt couldn't help the shiver of excitement that went through him. Finally, he was being accepted.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like sodas, they make me bubbly inside!

Three weeks had passed since they had begun working on the choreography. All of the boys had shown great improvement since Kurt had initiated the 'booty camp,' though some still had a long way to go before the routine would be flawless, especially Wes and Trent.

In the meantime, they had run many tests on the formula, discovering that certain pheromones worked better than others. They learned that the so called cuddle pheromone had no affect, but theorized that it might work on females, if they could figure out why the base formula didn't work on the other gender (they hadn't had a chance to test Blaine's theory yet.)

Christmas vacation was coming up in just a few days, and he still hadn't gotten up the nerve to tell the other boy how he felt. He'd come up with a dozen elaborate schemes in his head when he was alone, but the moment the other boy was there, he forgot every one of them. It was hopeless. Or was it?

…

The boom box hit the table with an echoing thud.

Blaine smiled. "Hey."

"You scared me!" Kurt said with a nervous chuckle.

"Good. Because I'm actually Marley's ghost, and I'm here to tell you to stop studying so hard."

Kurt just raised an eye brow at him. "Hmm. What's with the boom box?"

"I need you to sing with me. Well, rehearse with me. I got a gig singing Baby, It's Cold Outside in the King's Island Christmas Spectacular."

"Ah, a personal favorite. Too bad they'd never let us sing it together." Okay, that wasn't awkward at all. "I mean as two...artist." Lame, Hummel.

Blaine, ever the gentleman, just ignored the awkward moment. "So, are you going to help me out here?"

"Anything to get me to stop reading about Charlemagne." Cause really, he couldn't stand one more moment of filling his brain with useless facts about a Frankish king who had died over a thousand years ago.

"Very good then," Blaine declared, slamming the gigantic book closed, before turning and hitting play on the boom box.

The music filled the air, and as usual, Kurt felt it filling him with a confidence and ease that he lacked anywhere else except the science lab. He smiled as Blaine spun around with a flourish and indicated for him to begin.

I really can't stay

 

Blaine smiled, resting against the back of the couch, but leaning forwards towards Kurt.

 

But baby, it's cold outside

 

Kurt smiled in return, and Blaine almost looked surprised by the coquettish pose Kurt took.

 

I've got to go away

 

Blaine allowed himself to get lost in the flirtatious back and forth of the lyrics, and Kurt matched him with just as much playfulness as they sang.

 

But Baby it's cold outside

This evening has been

Been Hoping that you'd drop in

So very nice

I'll hold your hands

they're just like ice

My Mother will start to worry

Beautiful what's your hurry

 

Kurt began to move around the room, and Blaine followed, giving chase as the other boy flitted from place to place, almost provocatively.

 

My Father will be pacing the floor

Listen to the fire place roar

So really I better scurry

Beautiful, please don't hurry

 

Blaine knelt down and begged playfully, with those puppy dog eyes of his.

 

But maybe just half a drink more

Put some records on while I pour

The neighbors might faint

Baby, it's bad out there

Say, what's in this drink?

No cabs to be had out there

I wish I knew how

Your eyes are like

starlight now

To break this spell

I'll take your hat

your hair looks swell!

I ought to say no no no, sir

Mind if I move in closer?

At least I'm gonna say that I tried

 

Kurt had to hold in his giggles as Blaine's shoulder rubbed against his. The shorter boy was really getting flirty now, and the pale boy had to admit he was a bit flattered, but knew it was just the song. It didn't mean anything.

 

What's the sense in hurting my pride?

I really can't stay

Baby don't hold out

Oh but it's cold outside!

I've gotta get home

But baby, you'd freeze out there

Say, lend me a coat

It's up to your knees out there

You've really been grand

I thrill when you touch my hand

But don't you see

How can you do this thing to me?

There's bound to be talk tomorrow

Think of my life long sorrow

At least there'll be plenty implied

If you got pneumonia and died

 

Kurt's heart began to race. Had Blaine just looked at his lips?

 

I really can't stay

Get over that hold out

Ooh Baby it's cold outside!

 

As they held the last note, Kurt was certain Blaine had looked at his lips again. They both blushed, and then Blaine looked away. Kurt was disappointed, but really, what had he expected, an undying proclamation of love?

"I think you're ready," he said, smiling.

"Well, for the record, you're much better than that girl is going to be."

Kurt watched the other boy pick up his bag and walk away.

…

Later that night, he lay in his bed, replaying the evening in his mind, and one thought kept repeating itself in his mind.

He should have kissed Kurt Hummel.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like Klaine, they are meant to be!

Kurt reread the letter for the fifth time. This was ridiculous! He was being accused of stealing someone else's research? He didn't have time for this! Regionals were four weeks away, and their choreography was almost perfect, plus the qualifying round for the all state science fair was coming up the week after Valentine's Day. He and Blaine had submitted their joint research, although they still hadn't been able get the formula to work on females. They were finally going to test Blaine's theory that afternoon, but now he didn't know what to do.

He was still fuming when Blaine arrived in the lab after lunch. The shorter boy could tell immediately that something wasn't right. "Kurt? What's the matter?"

The pale boy handed him the letter without a word. Blaine took it and began to read out loud;

"Dear Mr. Hummel and Mr. Anderson, we appreciate your interest in competing in the regional science fair. Your previous participation proves to us that you are passionate about science. However, it has come to our attention that the work you have presented has also been presented by another northern Ohio student as well. The individual is claiming that you have stolen their work. A member of the governing committee will be coming to Dalton to interview you both, and investigate your work. We will not be able to accept your submission for the regional competition until the outcome of the investigation. Your full cooperation in these matters is appreciated."

Blaine reread the letter to himself, stunned. "Someone else is researching pheromones?"

Kurt growled. "No, someone stole our research. As soon as I read the letter the first time, I went through my notes again, to make sure that I had everything ready to show the investigator, and discovered several of my notes missing. I don't know who or when. I've been trying to figure out who the other person could be. I know it's not Jeff, he was showing me the project he was working on. It's brilliant, he'd have no reason to try and sabotage us. But it has to be someone here at Dalton, or someone here is helping someone outside the school."

Blaine looked like someone had kicked his puppy. "Who would do this to us? And Why? Are you sure you didn't misplace your notes?"

Kurt gave him his Bitch, please, face. "I have an eidetic memory, Blaine. I remember every single little detail of my life since I was three years old. I remember exactly where I left my notes."

Blaine had the good sense to look thoroughly impressed. "What are we going to do?"

Kurt sighed and looked slightly defeated. He slumped down on to a stool by his work station. "What can we do? When the investigator arrives, we'll give them all of our evidence and hope they conclude in our favor. In the meantime, we continue with our research. We're still on for this afternoon, aren't we?"

"Yes, I convinced Wes and David that it would be a good thing to give a preview of our routine for Regionals and get feedback on it. He's made arrangements with Crawford."

Kurt nodded. It was true, it would be good to get some feedback on their routine from a unbiased party, but the real reason they were doing this was to test out the altered base formula nine and pheromones to see if it affects females. Blaine had theorized that adding two chemicals that are naturally produced by the human body might make it more effective on the other gender. Kurt thought the addition of Oxytocin was sound, but wondered if the addition of adenylyl cyclase was really necessary. The first was also known as the cuddle hormone, while the second was a chemical the body produced that caused the blood vessels in the face to constrict, or in layman's terms, it made you blush.

"And you plan on putting the mixture in the foam?"

The darker boy nodded. "I'm guessing that if we engage all the senses, the formula might be more effective."

"Sounds reasonable. Also, it will be interesting to see how effective it is when it is released to the general area, and not anchored to a single person. If it could be introduced through air vents in schools, it could possibly lower all types of violent behavior." The image of Karofsky kissing him and then punching him flitted through his mind, but they could figure out a solution to that later.

…

That afternoon, the Warblers gathered in an abandoned warehouse between Dalton and Crawford Country Day, their sister school. The girls of Crawford's show choir, The Pixie Chicks, had a strict no fraternization rule about dating Warblers. Wes had to bribe them to come today by promising to pay for new costumes for them. Blaine gave a brief explanation of what they were attempting to do (minus the part about the formula, of course.) Then the Warblers began to harmonize.

Woooaaahhh  
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na  
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na  
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na  
Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na

 

The girls stood around, looking bored. This was good, in Kurt's mind. This showed that without the formula's influence, the females were uninterested in interacting with the group of males.

 

Here we go again  
I kinda wanna be more than friends  
So take it easy on me  
I'm afraid you're never satisfied

Here we go again  
We're sick like animals  
We play pretend  
You're just a cannibal  
And I'm afraid I wont get out alive (Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-oh)  
No I won't sleep tonight

 

Foam began to pour down over everyone and everything. It didn't take long for the girls to respond. Kurt would consider this a success, as he watched the girls loosen up and begin to flirt with the boys.

 

Wo, oh, I want some more  
Wo, oh, What are you waitin' for?  
Take a bite of my heart tonight  
Wo, oh, I want some more  
Wo, oh, What are you waitin' for?  
What are you waitin' for?  
Say goodbye to my heart tonight (Woooaaahhh)

 

Blaine glanced over at Kurt, and noticed the boy making some strange faces. He wondered if the pale boy was feeling okay as the song continued.

 

Here we are again  
I feel the chemicals kickin' in  
It's gettin heavy  
And I wanna run and hide  
I wanna run and hide

I do it every time  
You're killin' me now (Killin' me now)

And I won't be denied by you  
The animal inside of you

Wo, oh, I want some more  
Wo, oh, What are you waitin' for?  
Take a bite of my heart tonight  
Wo, oh, I want some more  
Wo, oh, What are you waitin' for?  
What are you waitin' for?  
Say goodbye to my heart tonight

Hush hush the world is quiet  
Hush hush we both can't fight it (Woooooaah)  
It's us that made this mess  
Why can't you understand?  
No, I won't sleep tonight

Wo, oh, I want some more  
Wo, oh, What are you waitin' for?  
Take a bite of my heart tonight  
Wo, oh, I want some more  
Wo, oh, What are you waitin' for?  
What are you waitin' for?  
What are you waitin'

Here we go again (Wo, oh)  
Here we go again (Wo, oh)  
Here we go again (Wo, oh)  
Take a bite of my heart tonight

Wo, oh, I want some more  
Wo, oh, What are you waitin' for?  
What are you waitin' for?  
Say goodbye to my heart tonight

 

As the song came to an end, both Kurt and Blaine admitted that the modified formula seemed to have worked. Kurt hugged the shorter boy.

"It worked!"

Blaine smiled. "It appears so. We do still need more testing to be certain. Hey, are you feeling okay? You looked like you were in pain during the song."

Kurt frowned. Blaine thought he looked like he was in pain? He'd been trying to look sexy. What did this mean? Did Blaine not find him attractive? And why did that thought hurt so much? "I'm fine," he said, his tone flat. He excused himself and headed back to the lab.

…

Blaine watched him go, and realized he'd just made a huge mistake. He gathered his things and headed back to the lab, intending to apologize to Kurt. When he arrived, he found Kurt furiously searching the store room. "Damn it, where is it?" he mumbled.

"Kurt? What's the matter?"

"It's missing!"

"What's missing?"

"Our formula, and all of the pheromones we had in stock."


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like The Chicago Cubs, I love them!

Blaine managed to calm Kurt down. He'd hugged the the other boy, telling him he'd take care of things, and sent the pale boy back to his dorm. It was Friday, and the boy was supposed to be on his way back to Lima for the weekend. Blaine told him to get his bag and go, and Blaine would take care of contacting the Dean to let him know what was going on.

Now Blaine sat in the Dean's office, watching the security footage from the lab. The older man stopped the video when it showed a man in his mid twenties entering the lab and going to the storage locker, and leaving a few minutes later carrying a large bag filled with what must have been the formula and pheromones. Blaine thought the man looked familiar.

"That is our new Janitor, Bob Whittier," Dean Michealson informed him.

Blaine looked up at the Dean in surprise. "Whittier?" He groaned. He had a sinking suspicion in the pit of his stomach. "I don't suppose you know if he is related to Alexander Whittier, do you?"

Dean Michealson frowned. "I don't know. I can check."

Blaine shook his head. "Never mind, I'll check in to it. They are...old acquaintances of mine."

…

Kurt lay in bed in his old room Friday night, his emotions bouncing all over the place. Anger over their work being stolen was his main emotion, quickly followed by confusion. He didn't know what to think about Blaine. One minute the boy was saying he had no sex appeal at all, and the next the boy is hugging him and trying to cheer him up. And there were all those mixed signals since before Christmas when they'd sang Baby It's Cold Outside, and Kurt had been certain the other boy was going to kiss him.

Every time they had a success with testing the formula, the other boy had hugged him enthusiastically. And they were always going out for coffee, to 'talk' about their project, and sometimes to talk about other things, too. They'd discovered they had so much in common. They both loved Broadway musicals, Vogue, and Popular Science. They had similar taste in music, though they had argued good naturedly about who was better, Lady Gaga or Katy Perry (Gaga, obviously...)

Kurt knew Blaine's favorite color was blue, his favorite food was Lasagna, and his favorite Coffee order was a medium drip, and Blaine knew all his favorites as well. He sighed and rolled over on to his side.

"Admit it, Kurt Hummel," he mumbled to himself. "You're in love with Blaine Anderson."

…

Saturday afternoon, Blaine sat in his car outside a house in an upscale neighborhood in North Westerville. Though he had never set foot inside this particular house, he was very familiar with most of it's occupants.

Blaine had never told anyone the other reason he had transferred from Westerville High to Dalton. Oh, they knew about the beating he'd endured, but no one knew about Him. He had met the other boy in science class, and they had become friends. And then when Blaine had come out, the other boy had asked him on a date, but Blaine turned him down because the other boy was still in the closet, and Blaine didn't want to hide anymore.

At first they continued to hang out as friends, but the older boy kept pressuring Blaine to go out with him, and later, he pressured Blaine for sex. Blaine told him he wasn't interested, that he was waiting until he met someone special, someone who was as open and honest as he himself was. The other boy had been furious, claiming he couldn't come out, that his father would throw him out of the house. He had continued sexually harassing Blaine until the attack had given the younger boy the perfect excuse to transfer schools.

After Blaine had transferred away, the other boy's parents had divorced, and his mother had gotten remarried to Alexander Whittier. Blaine had also heard rumors that the other boy had been caught in a compromising position with his new step brother, Robert, who was in his mid twenties.

Blaine sighed and got out of the car, pulling his collar up against the early February chill. The door opened before the bell finished it's elaborate chiming, and Blaine knew the other boy had been watching for him.

"Well, hello, Blaine Anderson, to what do I owe this pleasure?" The boy's hair was still worn long, the dark blonde strands currently pulled back in a ponytail. Blaine had to admit the boy was handsome.

"Hello, Jeremiah."

…

Kurt spent the entire weekend debating whether to tell Blaine how he felt. Valentine's Day was less than a week away now. Maybe he could do something that showed Blaine that he thought of him as more than a friend, and see how the other boy responded. He didn't think he could actually say the words to him. He'd be mortified if the other boy just brushed him off.

But what could he do that would let the other boy know he wanted more than friendship, without risking his heart too much if the other boy didn't feel the same way? He was lost in thought, sitting on one of the leather couches that lined the halls of Dalton, doodling in his notebook. He glanced down, realizing he'd drawn a heart. Sighing softly, he wrote BLAINE + KURT inside the heart.

He was looking at his drawn confession, when the sound of his name startled him and he slammed the book shut. Looking up, he saw Blaine's smiling face looking back at him.

"What were you doing?" The darker boy asked.

Kurt looked back down at his notebook. "Just random thoughts. Nothing important. What's up?"

"Come on, there is something I want to talk about in Warbler's practice."

Fifteen minutes later, Kurt sat in the commons with the other Warblers as Blaine asked the council to let him speak. He was given the floor, and turned to face the room in general.

"Warblers, I'm in love!"

Kurt's heart began to race. Was Blaine going to admit he had feelings for him? When the other Warblers seemed disinclined to help Blaine reveal his feelings to his crush, Kurt stood up for him, insisting that it was the right thing to do. The others reluctantly agreed. And then came the crushing blow.

It wasn't Kurt Blaine was in love with. It was someone else, someone who didn't attend Dalton, apparently.

Kurt felt his heart shatter.

…

What did he do now? He had seen the look on the other boy's face. It physically hurt him to think about it. But it was too late now. He had to see this through, and hoped everything turned out in the end.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like music, they make me want to dance!

Kurt studied the older boy from across the shop. This mop headed sop was the one Blaine had fallen for? What could Blaine possible see in the guy? He had no sense of style what so ever, and Kurt could see split ends in that mess on his head from twenty yards away.

Wes gave the signal, and the Warblers began to harmonize. Kurt went through the motions, but wasn't really making a sound. He couldn't, his heart hurt too much. Especially when Blaine began to sing.

As soon as the song was over, Kurt slipped away, unnoticed. He couldn't sit around and watch Blaine fawn over another boy. He drove back to Dalton, refusing to allow the tears to fall. He sat in his car for at least fifteen minutes before he felt composed enough to walk inside. He was almost to the staircase when he heard someone call his name.

"Mr. Hummel, might I speak with you for a moment?" Dean Michealson called out. Kurt turned around, forcing a polite smile to his face.

"Is there a problem, sir?"

"No, no. I was just wondering if Mr. Anderson was able to determine if the theif was indeed related to his old acquaintance, Mr. Whittier?"

"Whittier?" Kurt was shocked. That had been the name of the boy Blaine had sang to. Jeremiah Kensington Whittier. "Oh, um, I'm not sure. He didn't say anything to me."

"Oh, I thought that since the two of you were working together he would have told you. I'll just have to speak to him when he returns, then. Good day, Mr. Hummel."

Kurt watched the older man walk away, his mind in a whirlwind of thought.

Blaine knew who stole the formula? He was related to someone from Blaine's past? Had Blaine secretly been in love with this Jeremiah the whole time, and now that they had reconnected, he'd finally admitted his feelings for the boy? Why hadn't he told Kurt about him before?

Numbly he made his way to the lab, unaware of how he got there. He sat down on his stool, staring at Bugs and Babs in their large cage beside the counter. He'd gotten rid of his mice. Well, except for Gunn, who now lived in a nice cage in his dorm room. Slowly a thought began to form in his mind. The thief was supposedly related to this Jeremiah boy. That means that Jeremiah would have had access to the formula.

Kurt turned on his laptop and googled Jeremiah Kensington Whittier. What he found horrified him;

Jeremiah James Kensington Whittier

age: 18

Senior at Westerville High School

Member of the Science Club

All that information was fairly normal. It was the news article that had Kurt so worked up.

Son of City Councilman found in compromising position with underage stepbrother.

Robert Whittier, son of Councilman Alexander Whittier, was photographed in a local park kissing his seventeen year old stepbrother. Witnesses report it was the younger boy who initiated the contact between the two young men, and that the older male had seemed surprised by the younger boy's actions.

This isn't the first time Jeremiah Kensington Whittier has been accused of inappropriate behavior. A sexual harassment complaint was filed against the younger boy at Westerville High school last year.

Kurt stood and began to pace. Jeremiah knew science, had access to the formula and the pheromones, and had a history of sexual harassment. Had he used the formula on Blaine? Is that why the boy suddenly announced he was in love? Was it real, or was Jeremiah manipulating him? Could the formula really make someone fall in love? They hadn't tested anything more than temporary attraction. They had both agreed anything more than that without consent was unethical.

Kurt lost track of time as his thoughts raced, and was surprised when someone else walked into the lab. It was Blaine, who was smiling sheepishly at him, and holding a tray. Kurt couldn't help himself, he reached out and grabbed the shorter boy. He had no clue what he was going to say, just started babbling.

"Blaine! I need you to listen to me! Jeremiah is using the formula on you to make you think you are in love with him! It isn't real! Please, you have to believe me! He stole the formula! You don't really love him! He's a slimy bastard and a pervert! Do you understand Blaine? You are under the influence of the formula!"

The darker boy just began to laugh, and carefully set the tray down on the counter top. Taking the taller boy by the arms and pushing him back down on the stool. "First off, I'm not under the influence of the formula. Second, I know Jeremiah was involved with the theft. And third, I am in love."

Kurt shook his head. "Blaine, don't you hear yourself? You aren't making any sense. You can't be in love with that jerk! It's the formula!"

Blaine continued to grin goofily. "Kurt, will you let me explain? I promise, I'm not under the influence of the formula, but you have to let me tell you everything that happened. Okay?"

Kurt nodded, fighting back the tears again. He'd let the other boy explain, but only to placate him. Later he'd figure out how to counter the effects of the formula and help Blaine see the truth.

…

Blaine studied the other boy's face for a moment, and silently sighed. He owed Kurt an apology. "First off, I'm sorry, I should have told you as soon as Dean Michealson showed me the security footage and I realized who the thief was. I meet Jeremiah in Jr. High, in science class, and we became really good friends. And then my freshman year of high school, I came out, and Jeremiah admitted to me that he was also gay, but he wasn't ready to come out publicly yet. He asked me out, but I turned him down. I told him that I was tired of hiding who I was, and didn't want a relationship where we'd have to sneak around."

He glanced back at Kurt to see how he was taking this news. The boy was listening, but Blaine couldn't figure out what the boy was thinking. He took a breath, and continued.

"Things became strained between the two of us, and he subtly began sabotaging my projects. Nothing I could prove, but I knew it was him. And when we were alone, he'd try to touch me and wanted to have sex with me. I told him no again. We had a fight, and stopped talking to each other. It wasn't long after that that the other kid, Daniel, and I were beaten up. My parents gave me the opportunity to transfer to Dalton, and I took it, but more to get away from Jeremiah than anything else."

Kurt interrupted him then. "But don't you see? You just said you didn't want Jeremiah, that he made you uncomfortable. This proves he used the formula to influence you, Blaine! You have to see that!"

Blaine just smiled. "Kurt, please let me finish. I went to see him on Saturday, and he invited me in. I knew right away that he was up to something. I knew he had the formula, and that he would probably try and use it. I played along, letting him think I was falling for him. I didn't want to make him suspicious, I couldn't demand he return the formula and pheromones. I really had no proof he was involved, only his stepbrother, Bobby. I had to get him to admit he was behind it. But he still didn't trust me, trust the formula. He said he'd tell me everything if I proved I was in love with him. That's why I had the Warbler's serenade him. Well, part of the reason."

Kurt was looking confused. "You said you were only pretending to be under the influence of the formula, but you keep insisting you are in love. So, you really are in love with Jeremiah?"

The shorter boy laughed. "Oh, Kurt, please, let me finish. Do you remember I told you that my nose was broken when I was beaten? My olfactory receptors were also damaged. My ability to smell is very limited. I can't smell the pheromones at all. Jeremiah didn't know that. As soon as I suspected he had the formula, I knew he would try and use it on me. I faked it."

"Then you really do love him?"

"I never said Jeremiah was the one I was in love with."

"But..." Kurt was really confused now, but his question was quickly answered as Blaine leaned in and brushed a soft kiss to his lips.

"I'm in love with you, Silly."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are like balloons, colorful and lifting!

Kurt just stood there in shock for several long seconds. Was he hallucinating? Dreaming? Did Blaine just say...

"Come on, Kurt, you're giving me a complex here. I said I love you."

Yup, he said it. Kurt couldn't speak, he was so overwhelmed. He reached out and pulled the other boy in for another kiss, just to prove to himself this wasn't a dream, or a stress induced illusion. It definitely felt real. It felt really good, actually.

He slowly pulled back, still stunned, but smiled happily. "I love you too, Blaine. But why didn't you tell me what you were doing? Why didn't you ask me for help?"

"Jeremiah's stepbrother, Bobby, got a job here to spy on me for him. Bobby is a little obsessed with Jeremiah, and will do anything for him. I made certain he was outside the commons when I made my little speech to the Warblers. I needed him to think I was fully under the influence of the formula. And I needed you to react exactly the way you did, or Jeremiah would have been suspicious."

Kurt nodded in understanding. "So, did he confess?"

Blaine laughed. "He was a little upset. He got fired from his job today. Seems his boss had no clue he was gay, and really didn't appreciate a bunch of boys breaking out in song and dance in the middle of the store. Ohio is an ultra conservative state, you know, and having a boy shouting his love for another boy in such a public place isn't very appealing. Wes recorded him throwing a fit, saying he never should have used the formula on me."

Kurt grinned. "Is that why you wanted to serenade him in the store?"

Blaine laughed. "Partly. The other reason is because his dad, Richard Kensington, owns the mall. Jeremiah is still in the closet, and I knew word would get back to his dad. That boy tormented me for a year before I transferred. Payback is a bitch!"

Kurt laughed and kissed him again. "You really love me?"

Blaine smiled. "I've had a bit of a crush on you since the all state science fair three years ago. When you transferred here, I realized it was much more than a crush. And then I saw you in those glasses that first night, and you just looked so...Hot! I knew I was in love with you then."

Kurt was surprised. "You think my glasses are Hot?"

…

The regional qualifier for the all state science fair was an exciting event. Blaine and Kurt held hands as they walked from exhibit to exhibit, studying each competitors' presentations. There were your typical model volcanoes with vinegar and baking soda lava, and the usual entomological displays of bugs and butterflies. Then there were more complex displays, such as the Jr. High school boys who had built a motor that runs on water, and the freshman who invented socks that actually eliminate odors.

When the five finalist that would advance to the all state competition were announced, Kurt and Blaine cheered when Jeff's name was called. They had decided that their formula wasn't ready to be made public yet. They needed to make certain that it would be safe and not be able to be misused.

After the award presentation, Blaine, Kurt, and Nick, met Jeff back at his booth.

"Congratulations!" Kurt said, hugging the blonde Warbler. "I told you your presentation on how reintroducing native flora and fauna to the region would reduce pollution and lower health care costs was brilliant! You are sure to win at all state!"

"Thanks, Kurt! It was your GMO presentation last year that inspired me!" The four boys continued to talk about science, although Nick didn't understand much about the topic. The others tried to explain things to him when he asked, but when their jargon became too much for him, he retaliated by reciting poetry in Gaelic, which had them all cracking up.

…

"Are you nervous?" Blaine asked as they stood backstage, waiting for Aural Intensity to finish their obviously blatant attempt to win over the ultra conservative judges with their sugar coated vocals and questionable song choice.

Kurt shrugged. "A little. Wes is still wobbly on that spin out in the third number, and David couldn't have picked a worse time to sprain his ankle. He says he's fine, that he's on enough pain meds that he wouldn't feel an elephant standing on his foot. Maybe what ever higher intelligence is out there is trying to tell us that the warblers aren't meant to dance. Maybe we should just go back to the simple choreography and hope our vocals are enough to advance us. Maybe..."

He was cut off by Blaine kissing him. "You're so cute when you get nervous and ramble. Relax, everything will be fine. If we win we win, if we lose we lose."

Kurt sighed. "I love you."

"So, Kurt, I suppose this is Blaine?" Rachel Berry's voice cut into their moment. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Blaine Anderson, Rachel Berry. Rachel, Blaine," Kurt introduced.

"It's nice to meet you," Rachel said, shaking the other boy's hand. "I just wanted to wish you guys good luck. You're going to need it. New Directions has a secret weapon this time."

"Oh?" Kurt asked bemused. "What, did Mr. Schue give you three solos to make up for not having any at sectionals?"

The diva just smiled at him. "Mr. Schue has learned the error of his ways, yes, and yes, I will be having a solo in this competition. But that isn't the secret weapon I'm referring to. And don't bother to ask, because I won't tell."

Before anyone could say anything else, the lights flashed, indicating for The Warblers to take their places. Kurt frowned as he moved to his position. What could New Directions Possibly have up their sleeves?

He didn't have time to think about it as they were announced, and the boys began their harmonizing. The crowd went wild for their version of Raise Your Glass, and Kurt had to admit Blaine was pretty awesome. The new dance moves went off without a hitch, and they transitioned into their second song, Dance with Somebody, sung by Kurt. Again the dancing went smoothly. But now it was time for their finale, and Kurt was a little worried. David looked a little green around the gills, and seemed to be fighting not to limp. Had his pain meds worn off?

As they reached the midway point on Smooth Criminal, Kurt could tell the darker boy was on the verge of collapse, and the crucial spin out move was coming up. Sure enough, David crashed into Wes, sending both boys tumbling into the wings. Fortunately they had been towards the back, and he didn't think the judges really noticed anything amiss.

After the rest of them exited the stage, Wes and David looked up sheepishly at Kurt. "We're sorry," David began, but was cut off by Wes.

"It was all my fault. You worked so hard to help us, and I blew it."

Kurt just smiled at them. "You guys did your best, no one blames either of you. Accidents happen. Maybe the judges didn't see it. We'll have to wait and see."

New Directions were announced, and the Warblers took their seats in the audience. As Rachel took the spotlight, and the music began to play an unfamiliar tune, Kurt realized what Rachel had been talking about. They were doing original songs.

Kurt couldn't help but admire their work. The two original songs were perfect, especially their upbeat Loser Like Me. It took him a moment to realize that they had written a portion of the song about him, about being shoved into lockers. Had they really noticed him after all?

After the competition, while they waited for the judges decision, Rachel, Mercedes, and Puck approached him.

"Kurt, we're sorry if we made you think none of us cared about you at McKinley," Mercedes said.

"We realize we were all a bit standoffish with you. We never meant to make you feel like you didn't belong. We're all misfits in New Directions. We should have made you feel more welcome." Rachel said.

"Yeah, I guess I was just intimidated by your talent." Puck said.

Kurt smiled at them. "Thank you all, I really appreciate that. All I've ever wanted was to fit in somewhere."

They hugged him, and walked back over to the rest of their group as Blaine moved up beside him. "They do care about you. No one would blame you if you do go back."

Kurt just shook his head. "Maybe someday, but for right now I'm happy where I am. Besides, we have a formula to perfect."

Blaine smiled and kissed him. "I love chemistry."


End file.
